technology roadmap energy efficient building envelopes

A Technology Roadmap for Energy Efficient Building Envelopes

As the world grapples with the pressing issue of climate change, it has become increasingly imperative to adopt sustainable practices in various sectors. The building industry is no exception, and a recent report highlights the need for urgent action to ensure that future buildings consume less energy and result in lower CO2 emissions.

The Energy-Efficient Buildings: Heating and Cooling Equipment Roadmap provides a comprehensive roadmap for the evolution and deployment of key technologies essential for achieving this goal. While some of these technologies may still be in their development stages, many are already commercially available today, including solar thermal, combined heat and power (CHP), heat pumps, and thermal energy storage.

The potential impact of energy-efficient and low/zero-carbon heating and cooling technologies on CO2 emissions is substantial. By 2050, these technologies have the potential to reduce CO2 emissions by up to 2 gigatonnes (Gt) and save 710 million tonnes oil equivalent (Mtoe) of energy. This translates into a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and a more sustainable future.

Currently, space heating and cooling, as well as hot water, account for roughly half of global energy consumption in buildings. Moreover, buildings account for almost one-third of final energy consumption globally and are an equally important source of CO2 emissions. The Energy-Efficient Buildings: Heating and Cooling Equipment Roadmap provides a clear pathway for the development and deployment of technologies that can help mitigate these issues.

In conclusion, the technology roadmap outlined in the report offers a vital framework for transforming the building industry into a more sustainable and energy-efficient sector. With many of the necessary technologies already available, it is imperative that we take immediate action to adopt and deploy them on a global scale. By doing so, we can reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, lower CO2 emissions, and create a more sustainable future for generations to come.

Technology roadmap energy efficient building envelopes